It was a freezing cold November morning as I was making my way to my treestand. I did my homework and patterned the deer movement in the area. I was hoping my preseason scouting would pay off early so I could get back into the warmth by the woodstove. The light fluffy snow that was on the ground was excellent for stalking quietly to my treestand as I read in a how to in the popular Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine. I wasn't lucky like other 16 year old teenagers in having a role model to teach me how to hunt. On the other hand I do think I was extremely lucky, otherwise I wouldn't have turned into the hunter I am today without reading and learning from the contributors of D&DH at that early age. That morning all my scouting and studying paid off and I harvested my first buck at 15 yards. He dropped in his tracks as the lead buried deep in his brisket,into his lungs, through the liver and into his haunch. . I couldn't ask for more it was a clean and humane harvest. My love for deerhunting was instilled deeply at that young age with my first buck harvest.

I think every hunter at one point in their life has their hunting ethics tested. When I was about 25 I had a hunting partner and we used to hunt everything from coyotes to deer together. I learned alot from him he was a fair chase hunter as I was or so I thought. In till I planted a acre of clover back then. We had a long talk about it, I told him all the benefits of it helping the herd. His rebuttal was there was no fair chase in hunting over foodplots no matter how much it "helps the herd". He then went onto say that it would be the same as hunting over a mineral block, salt lick or deer feeder, it helps the herd and gives them nutrition but it is illegal in NY. That year I harvested a nice buck and two doe's because of that foodplot. It didn't feel the same though as when I harvested my first buck that early November morning in it's natural surroundings. I have harvested many deer in their natural surroundings. So should we leave it up to the DNR and DEC to be the deer managers?

"The deerskin rug on our study floor, the buck's head over the fireplace, what are these after all but the keys which have unlocked enchanted doors, and granted us not only health and vigor, but a fresh and fairer vision of existence" -Paul. Brandreth

Scotman ...I do see what your saying and I never hunted plots until I ..my husband...and my daughter were all shot at on our property at differant times here in N.Y....Now I have been nearly shot 3 differant times. The last being 2 yrs. ago and I was in my 16 ft tree stand.....The DEC wouldn't do anything..even though the property the slug came from was involved in a shooting death 4 yrs ago... where they shot and killed a member of their own hunting party!...see I couldn't PROVE witch gun the slug came from and I quote..."You know they're just going to lie any ways."
So I now plant many differant plots and they are towards the middle of my land...I don't hunt directly over them but around them...the 8pt and 5pt I took last year were 100-200 yrds from any plot....I do enjoy seeing more deer and healthier deer as well as: turkey...mink..porcupines...rabbits...hawks...songbirds...and grouse...fare chase...well I have 24 stands and over ten plots...I don't know whos walking where and they have alot of choices as to where they may want to go and times they visit....the wind decides what stands I go to ...so whats fare chase?...we have no fences..I chose realative safety until DEC starts doing their job and protects law abiding hunters and their rights to peace and safety on their own land.

I live in Cattaragus County NY not too far from the PA border..I would go straight to the DA if the Police or DEC can't do anything. Maybe some type of sting would work. That is attempted murder.

I do see your point I think planting foodplots is a personal choice and the benfits are great. I have always been undecided in my own mind whether it was fair chase for me or not. I have planted a foodplot this year, that is the second plot I have planted in my lifetime. If I have the same feeling when harvesting a deer out of my foodplot this year I will most likely not continue it. Local hunters feel the same way that it is too unnatural.

"The deerskin rug on our study floor, the buck's head over the fireplace, what are these after all but the keys which have unlocked enchanted doors, and granted us not only health and vigor, but a fresh and fairer vision of existence" -Paul. Brandreth

"Food Plots" are simply areas that provide food for a deer. Many different types exist, whether it be a man-made clover field or a naturally occurring white oak flat. The only difference in my eye is that nature provides one and we provide the other.
The argument that "food plots" function the same as mineral licks is overstated. Yes, whitetails will visit a clover field with similar regularity as a salt lick. The reason salt licks are illegal in most states is to avoid concentration of deer and their waste - resulting in many diseases such as CWD. Not because it necessarily provides an unfair advantage.
My final question to everyone that is against food plots - Do you ever hunt over any type of food source? If you say no, you aren't killing many deer or you are unable to recognize a food source.
The way I see it:

People with either excess time, money, land, or ambition (or a combination of these - i am not saying these characteristics are bad) hunt over "food plots" and the rest of us hunt food sources.

The first case of NY ever having CWD was in 2005 in oneida county. The Department of Agriculture posted a notice part of it was it "requires retailers who sell deer feed to post a sign provided by DEC to advise buyers of the State prohibition on feeding wild deer; regulations will also prohibit the sale of deer feed that is packaged or labeled for wild white-tailed deer." in the containment area.

I been watching over my clover plot every day sometimes 8 hours a day. I have counted 20 deer coming to it at different times. The most I seen it where 6 deer at once. Isn't the concentration of that many deer confined in such small area a stepping platform for cwd? A farmers crop is 10 times the size as a normal foodplot in most cases.

"The deerskin rug on our study floor, the buck's head over the fireplace, what are these after all but the keys which have unlocked enchanted doors, and granted us not only health and vigor, but a fresh and fairer vision of existence" -Paul. Brandreth

scotman thats a good question on the small plot being a steppin stone for cwd never thougt of that hopefully someone can answer that i would like to know & msbadger sounds like you need to get some of that new mossy real armour from 2057 i'd have to probably shoot back & get a stun gun for those attack deer wonder if the attack deer would attack trespassers dang girl you love your huntin' as much pain as your talkin about if it wasnt for bad luck you wouldn't have none

ORIGINAL: bckklr msbadger sounds like you need to get some of that new mossy real armour from 2057 i'd have to probably shoot back & get a stun gun for those attack deer wonder if the attack deer would attack trespassers

I found that pretty funny. Welcome to the forum bckklr.

"The deerskin rug on our study floor, the buck's head over the fireplace, what are these after all but the keys which have unlocked enchanted doors, and granted us not only health and vigor, but a fresh and fairer vision of existence" -Paul. Brandreth

bckklr...lol...well I'm a true hunting nut case..Love it...Shooting back? no way ..I'd end up hitting the iggit ..instead of the slug whislin by his ear as it did mine....That buck ....well I consider that luck ...his hooves could have just as easily sliced my throat or face instead of bruising the beegees out of me through 4 layers of clothes...besides that close call was the tip of a large iceberg of close encounters...I'm in the woods every day...One year our dog broke my leg...2 1/2 hours or surgery...steel plate and screws holding my leg together...three days in the hospital and three months in a hospital bed in my living room...any how 4 weeks after accident the turkey opener was on us...I cried until Mr.B drove me to my ground blind.... helped me with my crutches and crawl into blind..cell phone and gun inhand...no turkey but called in a trespasser and a fox....then that fall I was still in a walking cast and couldn't climb ladder to tree stands...so he bought me my first climber....I took a doe at 90yrds with my 20ga 3 in browning...she tumble end over end down the hill...stood up and ran back up the hill and died right on the trail ..so I just backed the truck up to her to drag her out....so good luck...bad luck?..just differant...lol

you go girl we need more dedicated women in the outdoor world like yourself & i was just cuttin' up about shootin' back kinda like that new mossy real armour from 2057 wish i could be in the woods everyday but i do manage about 3/4 on a good week as long as the chores are done msbckklr doesn't mind 2 much lol keep a huntin ms B

Hunting from a treestand will never be as exciting as a successful still-hunt. I feel ya, Scotman, I blasted my first buck at about 17 yards after a 10 minute cat and mouse game in very thick brush. It was the most challenging and difficult and rewarding hunt in my life.

But planting a food plot doth not a "deer farm" maketh. I've hunted over standing corn, fresh cut beans, and fallen apples and acorns. It's no different than hunting over a 1/2 acre of alfalfa or clover that my buddy planted. You still have to accurately predict where and when the deer are going to enter that field. You still have to scout smart and play your cards right.

It's not as exciting as that still-hunt in fresh snow, but as long as it's not fenced property and your doing all the leg work, then it's definitely fair chase.